Thill attachment.



No. 753,988. PATENTED MAR. 8, 1904. M. 1). LE ROY & G. P. ROSS.

THILL ATTACHMENT.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 11. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

Wynn- UNITED STATES Patented March 8, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

MYRON D. LE ROY AND GEORGE P. ROSS, OF WALKERTON, INDIANA.

THlLL ATTACHMENT- SPECIFIOATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 753,988, dated March 8, 1904.

Application filed September 11, 1903. Serial No. 172,776. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, MYRON D. Ln R01? and GEORGE P. Ross, citizens of the United States, residing at VValkerton, in the county of St. Joseph and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thill Attachments; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a thill attachment; and the object is to provide a device which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and durable in use.

The essential feature of novelty resides in the construction, formation, and relative arrangement of a brace which strengthens the thills at their weakest points, forms a guard to prevent the reins and horses tail getting caught in the whiflietree, and provides a connection and substantial support for the whiffletree.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction, combination, and operative aggroupment of the parts, all of which will be more fully described hereinafter, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a view in perspective of the rear ends of a pair of thills with our invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the thills on the line 00 w of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is aperspective of the cross-bar and reinforcing-straps for the thills.

Making renewed reference to the drawings, wherein similar reference notations indicate corresponding parts appearing in the several illustrations, and reference being had thereto, 1 designates the thills, which are of the usual form, with their rear ends bent downwardly, as at 2, to be disposed opposite the coupling on the vehicle. These reztrwardly-bent portions of the thills are reinforced by straps 3, which are bolted or otherwise secured to the under faces of the thills and terminate at their ends in coupling-eyes 4. These straps are connect the thills at a point where they are subjected to their greatest strain; but by our invention,

constructed as above described, we dispense with mortising or weakening the thills at the cross-bar connection, and by extending the straps or reinforcing-belts 3 forwardly of the cross-bar, as at 7, a much stronger and durable structure is provided.

To enhance the durability of the thills and to provide a substantial support for the whiffletree, the thills are connected by a memberS, which may be termed a combined guard and brace. The ends 9 of this member 8 are connected by bolts or other means to the upper face of each thill and extend across substantially parallel with the cross-bar 5, thereby forming a supplemental or auxiliary brace for the thills. This member 8 is bowed upwardly or outwardly near each end, as at 9, in order that the traces of the harness may be readily attached to the ends of the whiffletree, which is interposed between the supplemental brace '8 and the cross-bar 5, and these bowed portions serve as guards to prevent the reins and the horses tail from getting caught in, under, or around the whifiletree. The intermediate portion 10 of the combined brace and guard is disposed parallel with the cross-bar 5 and with the bearing-faces of the whiflietree, and through this intermediate portion a king-pin 11 is inserted, the king-pin piercing the whiffletree and the cross-bar 5 and having a nut 12 secured upon its lower end whereby the whiflietree is firmly supported and provided with a substantial fulcrum, which prevents rattling and distributes the strainon both the cross-bar 5 and brace 8.

We claim 1. The combination with the thills, of reinthills and having coupling-eyes at their outer ends, and also having an integral cross-bar to brace the thills, and a whiffietree pivoted to the cross-bar.

3. An attachment for thills comprising re inforcing-straps secured to the under face of the thills and having a cross-bar to brace the thills, said straps being extended forwardly beyond the cross-bar, and a whiflletree pivoted to the cross-bar.

4:. The combination with the thills having a cross-bar, of a combined brace and guard secured at its ends to the thills, and a whiffletree pivoted to and between the cross-bar and guard.

5. An attachment for vehicle-thills, comprising reinforcingstra1: s secured to the under face of the thills and having an integral crossbar, a combined brace and guard secured at its ends to the upper faces of the thills, and a whiffletree pivoted to and between the guard and the cross-bar.

6. In an attachment for vehicle-thills, the

combination of a cross-bar secured to the under faces of the thills, a combined brace and guard secured at its ends to the upper faces of the thills, a king-pin piercing the brace and the cross-bar, and a whifiletree fulcrumed on the king-pin between the brace and cross-bar.

7. In an attachment for vehicle-thills, the combination of a cross-bar secured to the under faces of the thills, a combined brace and guard secured at its ends to the upper faces of the thills and having upwardly-bowed portions adjacent its ends and an intermediate portion parallel with the cross-bar, a king-pin piercing said intermediate portion and the cross-bar, and a Whifiietree fulcrumed upon the king-pin between the guard and cross-bar.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

MYRON D. LE ROY.

GEORGE P. ROSS.

Witnesses:

GEORGE OLTsoH, MAGGIE OLTSOH. 

